Work Smart AND Hard

While reading Mike Rowe's thoughts about the advice he was given as a teenager, "work smart, not hard", I found an instant connection with his writing. His high school guidance counselor used a poster with not only these words, but also pictures to illustrate a dismayed blue-collar worker vs. a content college graduate, to try and inspire Rowe's decision to go to a four year university. Rowe felt that a community college, or other type of program, would be more fitting for himself. His article goes on to describe the problem he sees with this type of thinking, and how it has affected our society, as a whole, today. Why are we not encouraging trade schools, vocational programs and other apprenticeship opportunities, as well as college? Is a person less because they feel a trade job or other type of work is more fitting for them? Rowe is not saying that college is a bad thing, he is simply asking us to start thinking about the consequences of only pushing this type of education. What is so wrong with encouraging "Work Smart AND Hard" as Rowe points out.

Now, I am definitely not saying that college is a bad idea either. That would be a little hypocritical, as I myself, am in the midst of working on a degree. I think college is a wonderful thing for those who choose it. However, I do notice a different level of respect when I tell people I'm going to school to be a nurse, compared to when I just mention that I am a stay-at-home mom. Does managing my own household make me less smart than managing a company? I think this a pretty common thought in our society today. When reading Mike Rose's (not to be confused with Mike Rowe) Blue-Collar Brilliance, I noticed a lot of similarities with my husband. Rose illustrates, through his words, a picture of the thought processes involved in working "everyday" jobs. Jobs that may have not required a college degree to get into, but defiantly require constant problem solving skills, on so many levels. My husband was never one for the classroom, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love to learn. He is brilliant in so many ways, ways that I could never compare to, no matter how much college education I have. He started working at a young age, because he loved the idea of working hard to receive a paycheck. He loves the constant problem solving and coming up with new ways to make his job, and others around him, easier and more efficient. He worked many years in construction, where he was the best at what he did. Unfortunately, the physical demand on his body was catching up. He found a new company that promised an office position, as soon as the current placement retired. He worked a few years there, proving his worth. When the position finally opened up, it was filled by somebody else, a college graduate. My husband was told he was "too valuable in the field, and they couldn't loose him there." He was, indeed, valuable in the field, but could he not be just as valuable in the office? He was never given the shot. A couple back injuries, and a double hernia surgery later, my husband switched fields. He was now going to try his hand at retail. At first, all the new learning was a little intimidating, but soon my husband found himself in a perfect rhythm. Once again, he was really good at his job and loved the whole learning process, but the pay was not that good. His goal was to become manager through his hard work. He is currently "on the bench" for the next open management position. This is great, and I am so proud of him, but like most companies there are different levels of management. Although, the first level of management pays better, it is still not that high. This would not be a problem, if through his hard work he could continue to grow in the company, but to advance any higher, you need a four year degree. The funny thing is, the degree doesn't even have to have anything to do with business or the position. It is for this exact reason, I have to agree with Rose when he states "Intelligence is closely associated with formal education—the type of schooling a person has, how much and how long—and people seem to move comfortably from that notion to a belief that work requiring less schooling requires less intelligence." Let's use our own intelligence to realize, this is simply not true. Whether well college educated, or a hard worker, both intellectually and physically, we all deserve the same respect. Let's not let a person's worth be determined by their level of education, but realize that education comes in all different forms.